Vending-machine.



L. A. VANDIVER.

VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED smmzz, 1913.

1,099,409. Patented June 9,1914.

3 BHSETB-SHEBTI.

Witnesses g mfifinventor y Z i g Attorneys m m WWW. D 6.

L. A. VANDIVER.

VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION rum) SEPT. 22, 1913.

Patented June 9, 1914 llIll. ll

3 BHEBTB-SHEET 2.

Witnesses Attorneys COLUMBIA PLANoaRAPH cm. WASHINGTON, n. c.

L. A. VANDIVER.

VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SBPT.22, 1913.

1,099,409. Patented June 9, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

[fZZAfl Inventor r 1 m Attofneys ED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LESLIE A. VANDIVER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

VENDING-MACHINE.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, LESLIE A. VANDIVER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Vending-Machine, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to vending machines of that type shown, for example, in Patent No. 1,012,940, issued to me on December 26, 1911. In machines of this character a combined picking up and delivery device is used for removing articles from a receptacle thereunder and conveying them to the point of discharge, this device being mounted to swing about the axis of an actuating spindle extending from the casing in which the merchandise and the picking up and delivery device are located.

The picking up and delivery device has included a needle for picking into the package or other article to be delivered and it has been found that this needle has often become distorted or broken by being swung suddenly against an unyielding object such as the wall of a box containing articles to be dispensed. It has also been found that the needle, if permitted tomove laterally freely while in lowered position, will tend to scatter the articles of merchandise promiscuously thus leaving the said articles in a deranged condition which is extremely unsightly. It has also been found that in lowering the needle for the purpose of bringing it into engagement with an article to be dispensed, the said needle is often moved downwardly too far with the result that either the needle comes into contact with an unyielding object and is thus bent or broken or else the parts carrying the needle come into contact with the article of merchandise thereunder and crush or otherwise injure it.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a combined picking up and delivering device the article engaging needle of which when started in its downward movement toward the article to be dispensed, is held against lateral movement so that there is thus no danger of the needle striking a lateral blow against the side of a box or other unyielding object at one side thereof.

' A further object is to provide means whereby, when the article engaging device is Specification of Letters Patent.

AppIication filed September 22, 1913.

Patented June 9, 1914.

Serial No. 791,230.

moved downwardly, it is brought automatically to a stop as soon as the article has been properly engaged and before the needle carrying device can crush or otherwise injure the article.

Another object is to provide simple and eflicient means whereby, when the article engaging and delivering device is raised to its uppermost position, the same can be swung freely in a horizontal plane so as to bring the engaged article into position above the delivery hopper, further downward movement of the article engaging device being prevented as long as the article is supported thereby.

Another object is to rovide mechanism of the class set forth wlnch is simple and durable in construction and will not readily get out of order.

A still further object is to provide an article receiving hopper which is normally closed against the admission of dust to the interior of the casing in which the articles and the mechanism are located, said hopper, however, being easily manipulated to permit the discharge therefrom of the articles deposited therein.

WVith the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, can be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawings: Figure 1 is an elevation of the combined picking up and delivering mechanism, portions thereof being shown in section and the adjacent part of the casing being also shown in section, the said picking up and delivering device being shown positioned above the hopper and with its parts in the positions assumed thereby immediately subsequent to the delivery of an article. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the picking up and delivering mechanism and showing the parts in the positions assumed thereby while lowered into engagement with anarticle. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1, the picking up and delivery device being shown swung out of position above the hopper. Fig. 4 is an en larged plan view of the lock provided for preventing lateral swinging of the picking up and delivery device. Fig. 5 is a section on line A-B Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a section on line C-D Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is an enlarged central vertical section through a portion of the picking up and delivery device. Fig. 8 is a perspective View of the locking dog and a portion of the means for actuating it.

Referringto the figures by characters of reference 1 designates a tubular standard mounted for rotation within a casing 2 and this standard extends to and through the top of the casing and has an actuating stem 3 mounted to slide therein, the said stem being yieldingly supported by a spring 4. A ratchet bar 5 is extended longitudinally upon the standard 1 and is connected to the standard in any suitable manner, as by means of clips 7 binding tightly on the standard. The ratchet bar 5 is disposed close to and at one side of a longitudinal slot 8 formed in the standard 1. Extending through the slot 8 is an arm 9 projecting radially from and movable with the stem 3 and pivotally mounted upon one side of arm 9 is dog 10 connected, by a rod 11, to a bell crank lever 12 pivotally mounted upon one side of the yoke-like outer end 13 of the arm 9. Dog 10 normally hangs in such position that it will pass the teeth on the ratchet bar 5 when arm 9 is moved downwardly. A very slight movement of the dog 10 in the direction of the ratchet bar 5, however, will be suflicient to bring the dog into engagement with the nearest tooth of the ratchet bar.

Fixedly connected to the upper end portion of the standard 1 so as to rotate therewith, is an arm 14 extending radially from the standard 1 and disposed in the same plane with the arm 9. This fixed arm 14 is provided, adjacent its free end,'with a depending guide rod 15 on which a tubular spindle 16 is mounted to slide. This spindle 16 has an annular shoulder 17 adapted to bear upwardly against the lower terminal portion of yoke 13 while the upper end portion of the spindle is screw threaded exteriorly, as at 18, so as to be engaged by a nut 19 adapted to bear downwardly on the upper terminal portion of yoke 13. Thus the spindle 16 is held fixedly to the yoke 13 and arm 9.

A needle 20 is extended from the lower end of spindle 16 and through a stripping thimble 21 which is attached to the lower end of a sleeve 22. This sleeve is slidably mounted on the spindle 16 and has an interior flange 23 constituting the abutment for one end of a coiled spring 24. This spring is fitted around the spindle 16 and within sleeve 22 and bears. upwardly against an annular shoulder 25 formed on the spindle 16 near shoulder 17. The upper end portion of sleeve 22 is formed with a head 26 having an annular flange 27, the upper end of the head being secured within a releasing plate 28. This releasing plate is substantially T-shaped and includes an elongated tripping tongue 29 and laterally extending shifting fingers 30. These fingers are engaged, along their rear edges, by the depending arm 31 of a bell crank lever 32, this lever havingears 33 which straddle and are pivotally connected to arm 9, there being a spring 34 bearing downwardly on the upper arm of the bell crank lever so as to hold the lower arm of said lever normally pressed toward sleeve 22. Said lower arm has a lip 35 adapted normally to extend under flange 27 so as thus to hold the sleeve 22 elevated and with the needle 20 projecting beyond the lower end of thimble 21. The releasing plate 28 at the same time is held by spring 34 with its flange 27 extended straight beyond arm 9, as shown in Fig. 3. When, however, tongue 29 is swung laterally in either direction, one or the other of the fingers 30 will press rearwardly on formed in the downwardly extending arm of the bell crank lever 32.

It will be seen, by referring to Figs. 1 and 2 that the bell crank lever 12 is located directly above the plate 28 so that, when the plate is pushed upwardly with the sleeve 22, this plate will come against the lower arm of the bell crank lever 12 and cause the lever to swing about its fulcrum, thereby pushing against rod 11 and causing dog 10 to-move into engagement with the ratchet bar 5.

Fixedly connected to the top of casing 1 in any suitable manner so as to be held against rotation, is a circular rack 38 and se cured to the arm 14 is a U-shaped bracket 39 extendingunder the arm and also under the circular rack 38. This bracket has a bearing pin 40 extending transversely therethrough and mounted on the bearing pin and beyond the sides of the bracket and the arm 14 are disks 41 each of which has a segment removed from its periphery so as to form a radial shoulder 42 in the uppermost portion of the disk. The two disks are duplicates and each of them has an inwardly extending lug 43. These lugs extend under a leaf spring 44 which is secured at one end to the bracket 39, as shown at 45, the free end of the spring being provided with a rounded extension 46 adapted to bear downwardly on the arm 9 when said arm is raised relative to the arm 14. The distance between the two shoulders 42 and the disks 41 is such that, when one of the shoulders 42 is seated between two teeth of the circular rack 38, the shoulder 42 on the other disk is hearing against the end of another tooth. Thus it will be seen that when arm 9 is lowered relative to arm 14, spring 44 will press clownwardly on lug 43 and swing the shoulders 42 against the rack 38, one of the shoulders moving to position between two teeth while the other shoulder moves against another tooth. Obviously, therefore, the arm 14 and all parts carried by the standard 1 and stem 3 are held against rotation within the casing. By thus arranging the disks 41 and shoulders 42 relative to the circular rack 38, annular adjustment of the arm 14 can be effected as minutely as where twice the number of teeth are used on the rack 38 in connection with a single tooth engaging dog. By thus diminishing the number of teeth by one half, the teeth can be made much wider and consequently stronger and the rack can be more cheaply manufactured.

Arranged in the casing 2 is a delivery hopper 47 having an inclined bottom 48 which is hingedly mounted at its inner end to the inner wall of the hopper, as shown at 49. This bottom is inclined downwardly through an opening 50 in the bottom of easing 2 and extends beyond the side wall of the casing, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. A spring 51 yieldingly supports the bottom so as to hold it against the front or upper wall of the opening 50, as shown in Fig. 1. Hopper 47 is arranged below the path of movement of the needle 20 and extending from the casing 2 above the hopper is a tripping element 52 which can be in the form of an arm adapted to extend into the path of the tongue 29 when the raised arm 9 is swung horizontally to bring the needle 20 and the article engaged thereby into position above hopper 47 Let it be assumed that the needle 20 is supported above hopper 47 and that sleeve 22 is released from lip 35. These positions of the parts have been illustrated in Fig. 1. It will be seen that while the parts are thus located the bell crank lever 12 is out of contact with plate 28 and dog 10 hangs freely out of engagement with the ratchet bar 5. Furthermore tongue 29 is located below the tripping arm 52. As arm 9 is in its elevated position it presses upwardly against the lugs 43 and thus holds the shoulders 42 out of engagement with the circular rack 38. WVhen it is desired to collect, pick up and deliver an article contained in the casing 2, the operator grasps the head or upper end of stem 3 and rotates the stem. As arm 9 extends from stem 3 and through the slot in standard 1, the standard as well as arms 9 and 14 will rotate with the stem. When the sleeve 22 is brought into vertical alinement with the object to be dispensed, the operator pushes downwardly on stem 8. This will cause arm 9 to move downwardly in slot 8 and, consequently, spindle 16 which is connected to arm 9 will move downwardly along the guide rod 23 until the thimble 21 comes into contact with the article to be dispensed. As soon as the thimble thus contacts with the article it will be held against further downward movement. Spindle 16, however, will continue to move downwardly thus projecting needle 20 through thimble 21 and into engagement with the article in the path thereof, at the same time placing spring 24 under compression and causing the lip 35 to slip past shoulder 27 and then into engagement therewith. Should the downward movement of arm 9 and. sleeve 22 be excessive, sleeve 22 will be pushed upwardly on spindle 16 until it strikes the lower arm of bell crank lever 12 whereupon said lever will push through rod 11 against dog 10 and throw the dog into engagement with the ratchet bar 5, thus locking the parts against further downward movement and preventing crushing of the article engaged by the needle. As soon as the article has been engaged the stem 3 is released and spring 4 will elevate it and the parts carried thereby to their uppermost positions, the lip 35 remaining in engiigemcnt with the shoulder 27 and thus holding sleeve 22 and thimble 21 raised relative to spindle 16.

It will be understood that during the downward movement of arm 9 hereinbefore described, the lugs 43 will be released from arm 9 and spring 44 will therefore press downwardly upon them and throw one of the shoulders 42 into engagement with the adjacent teeth on rack 38, thus locking arm 9 against lateral swinging movement dur ing its downward movement. However as soon as arm 9 is elevated to its normal position, it strikes the lugs 43 and thus shifts disks 41 so as to disengage them from the rack 38. Consequently raised arm 9 can then be swung laterally until the needle 20 and the article adhering thereto are brought to position above hopper 47. At this time tongue 29 strikes trip 52 and causes plate 28 to swing laterally thereby bringing one of the fingers 30 against the bell crank 32 so as to lock the lever and withdraw lip 35 from engagement with shoulder 27. Spring 24 promptly throws the sleeve 22 and the thimble 21 downwardly and the thimble will therefore strip the article 011' of needle 20 and cause it to fall onto the bottom 48 of the hopper 47. By then pressing downwardly onto the projecting end of the bot tom 48, the article can be caused to slide outwardly through the opening 50 and into the hand of the purchaser.

It will be seen that by providing the ratchet bar and the dog together with the parts combined therewith, the down- 'ward movement of the needle is prevented as long as an article is in engagement therewith. If, however, an article should fall 01? of the needle, sufii'cient downward movement of sleeve 22 relative to the needle is permitted by the shoulder 27 and the lip to release the bell crank lever 12 and permit dog 10 to swing out of engagement with the ratchet bar 5. Thus the arm 9 can again be depressed to bring the needle into engagement with an article.

By providing the circular rack 38 and the parts cooperating therewith, it is impossible to swing the needle 20 laterally while it is out of its normal or raised position and, consequently, the needle will not strike laterally against any articles or disturb them and cause injury to the needle. I

It is to be understood that article engags ing devices of various types may be used in connection with the spindle l6 and I do not wish to restrict myself to any particular form of needle or like device for engaging the articles.

What is claimed is 1. A vending machine including a combined picking up and conveying device mounted for rotation and for up and down movement, and means for holding said device against rotation while moving up-- wardly and downwardly in any position.

2. A vending machine including a combined picking up and conveying device mounted for rotation and for right line movement, and means for holding said device against rotation during its right line movement.

3. A vending machine including a combined picking up and conveying device, means for rotating the same to any prede- 4 termined position and for imparting right line movement thereto while in such position, and means for holding said device against rotation during its right line movement.

4:. A vending machine including a combined picking up and conveying device, means for rotating the same to any predetermined position and for imparting right line movement thereto while in such position, means for holding said device against rotation during its right line movement, and means operated by said device when returned to its normal position for releasing said device to permit rotation.

5. A vending machine including a combined picking up and conveying device mounted for rotation to any predetermined point, means for imparting right line movement to said device when brought to said predetermined point, means for holding the device yieldingly at one limit of its right to its normal position.

. movement, and means operated by the return of the device to its normal position for releasing the device to permit rotation.

. ing the rack during the right line movement of the device, and means operated by said line movement, and means for automatically locking the device against rotation during its right line movement.

6. A vending machine including a combined picking up and conveying device mounted for rotation to any predetermined point, means for imparting right line movement to said device when broughtto said predetermined point, means for holding the device yieldingly at one limit of its right line movement, means for automatically locking the device against rotation during v its right line movement, and means operated by said device for releasing it when returned 7. A vending machine including a combined picking up and conveying device, means for rotating the same toa predetermined point and for imparting right line movement thereto when brought to said point, means for holding the device yieldingly at one limit of its right line movement, means for automatically locking the devlce against rotation during-its right line 8. A vending machine including a comblned picking up and conveying device,

means for rotating the same to a predetermined point and for imparting right line movement thereto when brought to said point, a rack, means adjustable angularly with said device for automatically engag device when brought to normal position, for

shifting said rack engaging means out of normal position.

9. A vending machine including a combined picking up and conveying device, means for adjusting the same angularly to a predetermined point and for imparting right line movement thereto when'brought to said point, a rack fixedly mounted, a rack engaging element adjustable angularly with said device, means cooperating. with said device for holding the element out of engagement with the rack when the device is in its normal. position, and means for automatically shifting said element into engagement with the rack when the device is given right line movement out of its normal posi tion.

10. A vending machine including a combined picking up and conveying device mounted for angular adjustment to a predetermined point and for right line movement when brought to said point, said device including a yieldingly held arm and an article engaging element movable with the arm, a stationary rack, separately revoluble disks having rack engaging shoulders, said disks being adjustable angularly with the article engaging device, yielding means for holding 3 the shoulders in engagement with the rack, and means cooperating with the yieldingly held arm for shifting the shoulders out of engagement with the rack when the arm is brought to its normal position.

11. In a vending machine the combination with an angnlarly adjustable arm carrying an article engaging device, and means for imparting right line movement to the arm when adjusted to any predetermined position, of a second arm, a rack, spaced disks mounted for rotation on said second arm and having rack engaging shoulders, means for holding the shoulders yieldingly in engagement with the rack, and means operated by the arm when given right line movement in one direction, for shifting the shoulders out of engagement with the rack.

12. In a vending machine the combination with an arm mounted for angular adjustment, an article engaging device carried by the arm, and means for imparting right line movement to the arm when brought to any position of adjustment, ofa second arm, a stationary rack, said second arm being adjustable angularly with the first named arm, rack engaging elements carried by said second arm and spaced to engage between the teeth of the rack at different times, yielding means for holding either of said elements in engagement with the rack, and means operated by the first named arm during its right line movement in one direction, for disengaging said elements from the rack.

13. A vending machine including a combined picking up and conveying device mounted for right line movement, and means operated by contact by said device with the article to be picked up, for automatically limiting the right line movement of said device.

14:. A vending machine including an article engaging element, means for supporting the same for right line movement, a member adapted to abut against the article being engaged, and means controlled by said member for limiting the right line movement of the article engaging element in the direction of the article.

15. In a vending machine, an article engaging element, means for supporting the same for right line movement, a stripping member movable relative to said element for abutment against the engaged article, a ratchet bar, and means operated by said stripping member for engaging said ratchet bar to limit the right line movement of the article engaging element in the direction of said element.

16. A vending machine including an article engaging element, means for supporting the same for right line movement, a

stripping member movable relative to said element and adapted to abut against the engaged object, a ratchet bar, a dog normally disengaged therefrom and mounted for straight line movement with the article engaging element, means operated by said stripping element when abuttin against the engaged article, for shifting the dog into engagement with the ratchet bar.

17. In a vending machine, an article engaging element, means for supporting the same for right line movement, a stripping member movable relative to said element and adapted to be shifted longitudinally relative thereto by abutment against the engaged article, means for automatically lockmg said stripping member when shifted by the engaged article, and means operated by excessive movement of the stripping member relative to the article engaging element for limiting the right line movement of said element toward the article.

18. In a vending machine, an article engaging element, means for adjusting the same angularly to a predetermined point and for imparting right line movement thereto when, brought to adjusted position, means for holding said element against angular adjustment during its right line movement, means for releasing said element to permit angular adjustment subsequent to its right line movement, a stripping member adapted to abut against the engaged article during the right line movement thereof, and

means operated by the stripping member when subjected to excessive resistance, for limiting the right line movement of the article engaging element.

19. In a vending machine, the combination with a hopper having an outlet, and a yieldingly supported bottom normally closing the outlet, said bottom being inclined, of an article engaging and conveying element, means for adjusting the same angularly to a predetermined position and for imparting right line movement thereto when brought to such position, a stripping mem ber movable relative to said element and adapted to contact with and to be shifted by the engaged article, means for automatically locking said stripping member in shifted position, and means for automatically releasing said member to strip the article from the engaging element when brought to position above the hopper.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

LESLIE A. VANDIVER.

Witnesses:

N. P. BISHOFF, Ronnar COWLES.

Copier of this patentmay be obtained to: five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. '0. 

